The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World

"I want to tell you that I have got my own darling Child from London." ~ Jane Austen talking about receiving her copy of Pride and Prejudice in a letter to Cassandra Austen, 29 January 1813

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The Jane Austen Handbook The Jane Austen Handbook:
A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World

Learn how to conduct yourself like a Jane Austen heroine or hero, with step-by-step instructions for all the mysterious details of Regency life that can confuse 21st-century readers.

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What They're Saying About The Jane Austen Handbook

"The Jane Austen Handbook is indispensable reading for anyone who wants to know more about Jane Austen and her world: how a lady spent her leisure time, how she dealt with illnesses in the family, how she celebrated Christmas etc. It's also worth its weight in gold for fledgling Regency authors because it answers all those niggling questions that suddenly appear from nowhere in the middle of chapter 3: my hero's masquerading as a steward, but what exactly does a steward do? And last but not least, it's a witty, engaging read that entertains as it informs. Highly recommended." - Amanda Grange, author of (Mr.) Darcy's Diary, Mr. Knightley's Diary, and Captain Wentworth's Diary

"Part tongue in cheek 'How To' guide for the young Regency gentleman or woman, part historical reference, this small volume is an invaluable resource for those only just discovering Austen and the Regency...and a delicious indulgence for those familiar with her life and works. . .makes a great gift for yourself, an Austen loving friend, or the Regency novelist in your life. It's a terrific resource for quickly finding answers to late night questions and most of all, presented in such a charming and conversational tone, that you can't help sitting down and reading it from cover to cover, once you start." - Laura Boyle, The Jane Austen Online Magazine

"This slightly tongue-in-cheek guide offers helpful hints to anyone who might want to live in Jane's world; how to dress, how to manage the household staff, and how to marry off all of your daughters to the most incredibly rich and handsome men while seeming to be not the least bit intrusive. An essential tool for modern living." - The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

"I think this book would be a particularly useful introduction for young Janeites who have just discovered their passion for Jane Austen. As for those of us who are slightly longer in the tooth and who have loved Jane for almost as long as she's been buried, this is a must-have, quick pocket reference." - Ms. Place, Jane Austen's World

"Sullivan is the editrix of the fascinating Austenblog.com and has a huge knowledge of Austen and her time. She brings all that to the book, along with a cool wit that Jane herself would have admired." - Joanne Sasvari, The Calgary Herald

"Margaret C. Sullivan takes readers back to England from the late 1700s to the early 1800s and entertainingly explains it all, from 'how to become an accomplished lady' to 'how to elope to Scotland' to 'how a lady might earn a living (if necessary)' to 'how to get rid of unwanted guests,' still a valuable skill. It's a book jammed with fascinating information about the role of women in society 200 years ago and how that has - or has not - changed." - Carole Goldberg, The Hartford Courant

"useful, entertaining" - Caryn James, The New York Times

"A valuable companion to Austen's novels" - Dana Cobern-Kullman, School Library Journal

Signed Bookplates

If you would like a bookplate (a label to place in your copy of The Jane Austen Handbook) signed by the authoress, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope (or an International Reply Coupon for anyone outside the U.S.), a note letting us know how you would like the bookplate signed (i.e., just a signature, to a particular name, with or without a message), and your e-mail address in case we have a question to:

Margaret C. Sullivan
PO Box 904
Glenside, PA 19038-0904

I will be at the JASNA AGM in Chicago this October and will be participating in the Saturday poster session. I'll be delighted to sign the book if you find me. Look for the loudmouthed bespectacled redhead wearing a Team Tilney shirt and tapping on a PDA; you can't miss me.